Toy-railway switch.



No. 897,622. PATE-NED SEPT. i, 190g. G. A. HoToHmss.

TORT RALWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATIOHMLED JUNE 3,1907.

@Mor/magg UNITED sTATEs @ENT OEEIOE.

oIIARLEs A. IIOTCEKIss, or BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, AssIcNoR To TEE'IVEsMANU- FAGTUEING CORPORATION, or BRIDGEROR, CONNECTICUT, a coRPoRATIoN orooN- NECTICUT. I

No. 897,622.A

. TOY-RAILWAY SWITCH.

"Patented sept. 1, 1908.

billpplication -filed June 8, 1907. Serial No. 377,888.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLESA. HoToH- KIss,-a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Bridgeport, in the County of Fairfield and Stateof Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inToy-Railway Switches, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates'to switches for toy railways, and has for itsobject the produc,- tion ol a simple switch of novel constructionincluding means for o erating the same, and at a distance if desire( Myswitch as designed is adapted to be connected in a miniature track,manufactured from sheet tin and 'formed in sections Including ra1ls` andsleepers, and adapted to rbe oined together to i'ornl. various designsol" track including branches or sidings where a switch of my noveldesign would be employed.l A

The switch includes in part suitable sheet metal sleepers having a pairof straight and a pair of curved sheet metal lrails secured thereto. Oneof said straight rails extend the full length of the section while theother only ex tends. part way. 'llie cui'ved rails are arranged at anangle to the straight rails, and comprises a long and short rail, thelatter being connected with the short straight rail while the other isturned in to line with and Aform a part of the main line section.

Intermediateof the intersecting portions of the two track sections Iemploy a short rail section consistingr oiI two pieces of rails suitablysecured together and |pivotally attached to one of the sleepers in 'away to be swung in either direction to close or open either track tersof reference denote like or corresponding narts throughout the severalAligures and ol' which, l

Figure 1, shows a plan view of a ltoy railway switch constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is a similar plan View of switchthe same being shifted' to an dpen position. Fig. 3, isan end View ofswitch as seen from the left of Fig. 1, but with part of the curvedrails broken away. Fig. 4, 1s a detail end View of operating lever andbracket seen in preceding igures4 the position agreeing with that shownin Fig. 2.

In detail, 5, 6, 7, and 8 represent main track sleepers which may bestruck up 'from sheet metal in any preferred manner and to which theseveral rail sections are secured.

9 indicates one of the rails which as shown is full length and attachedlo all l'our sleepers, and 1() is a parallel rail extending l'roinsleeper 7 to 8, and in itself representing but a part of the length ofthe full track section.

11. and 12 are the rails of ir'itersecting curved track section, andlike the straight rail'sections are secured to the sleepers including anouter sleeper im. The curved rail 11 is lull length while the mate ,is ashort rail" joined at one end to the inner end o'll rail 1() and extendsfrom sleeper 7 llo-S The inner end of the curved rail 12 lines up withthe short straight rail 10 to form one side of the end Oi main track. Apair of short rails 13 and 14 secured together by plates 15, 16 and 17are pivotally supported upon sleeper 6 as at 18 and are adapted to beswung thereon in one direction to cause the rail 13 to register with thecurved rail section 11 and in the other direction to cause the straightrail 14 to line with the short straight rail 10 to coin-- plete thatsideof straight section.

It will thus be seen that the roadway of the respective sections may beclosed or opened as desired to insure the movement of a train uponeither branch.

While I have referred to one oi the sections as being straight and theother as curved, yet it willv be understood that sueh particular designsol." rails are not essential since the rails of both sections may becurved il' preferred. f

The plate 1.5 is provided with an arin 15 which extends through a slotin side. ol" the. long end sleeper 5, and is engaged by one, end of aspring. 19 the opposite end of which is attached to, said sleeper in amanner to tend to draw the arm, strapand outer ends of rails 13 and 14over so that the outer lievcled end of short straigl t' rail let williie up close to side of 'end rtionof long curved rail 12 while theopposite end oi' said rail will line up withthe inner end, of shortstraight rail 10 as shown in Fig.y The said long sleeper '5 is hollowthroughout its length and near its outer end is provided with a slot 20f fingerv is drawn from the notch of operatin in its top side. Besidethis slot is secured a bracket 21 and to the vertically disposed portionof said bracket I pivot an operating ever 22 the lower end of whichisconnected by a link 23 with the before mentionedspring actuated arm15a to which the forward ends of short rails are secured. To the topsurfaceof the bracket 21 is pivoted a locking pawl 24 having a finger 26which operates freely through an opening in the vertical portion of thebracket to engage a notch 25 in lower portion of pivotal lever. A smallspring 27 secured to the underside of sleeper is provided with anupturned end 28 which projects through an opening of the sleeper andbracket lin a way to engage the said pawl and normally hold its fingerin contact with the lower portion of lever to insure its engagement withthe before mentioned notch 25 when the lever is thrown over to theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 4, against the tendency of the beforementioned spring 19 intermediate of sleeper and lever.

It will thus be'apparent that when the parts are in the position shownin Fig. 2, the switch can be quickly changed over to the position shown1n Fig. 1, by simply drawing out the finger of the pawl in a way torelease thcoperating lever, whereupon the spring 19 will quickly drawover the pivotal rail sections. and likewise the operating lever.

In order to manipulate the switch from a distance I have provided cordconnections 29 and 30, both of which are threaded through an eyeiet 31secured to the top side of the sleeper 5. The first named cord 29 isconnected as at 32 to the operating lever and when vsaid cord is drawnas from a distance it obviously serves to throw the lever against its srin ,from the position shown in Fig. 1, Ato t at s own in Fig. 2, wherethe partsare held, by the before mentioned' awl. The other cord30 iscarried throng 'a second ,/e elet 33 and secured to the outer end 34 oft e pawl, so that when the cord'is pulled the lever, permitting the sameand the pivota rail sections to 4throw over Abykthe action of f fthe sring; The cords in question may obvious y be carried' to anydistant ointin either direction as may bedesired t us permitting the switch to 'beoperated in either direction from a distance.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Pat 'ent isz- 1. In a portable toy railway switch, thecombination with a pair of intersecting track sections, sleepers uponwhich the rails of track are supported, one of said sleepers 'l havingan openlng in its side, of a short rail section pivoted intermediateofthe intersecting portions of said track sections, lates' for securingthe rails'together, one o said v plates being provided with anarm thatcir-- tends into the said opening in side of sleeper,

ing the short rails to line with the respective track sections, andmeans for retaining said 2. In a portable toy railway switch, thecombination with a pair of connected track 4sections supported uponsleepers, of a short sections, plates for securing the rails togetherone of said plates having anarm extending into the sleeper, alever'pivoted to sleeper and means within the sleeper for cnnectmg .thelever with the said arm.

3. In a toy railway switch, the combinanectedtrack sections, of a shortrail section tions of track section, a'spring for normally holding theshort rail section so that'one of its rails will line with one tracksection, a lever for shifting the said short rail section so that itsother rail will line with the other secltion, and means for holding itin that position.

4. In a toy railway switch, the combination with a pair ofconnected-track sections, of a short rail section pivoted intermediatethe intersecting portions of track sectionsa spring for normally holdingthe rail section to'line with one side of track section, and. means forretaining said parts in such' posi- 5. Ina toy railway switch, thecombination with a pair of connected track sections, of a short railsection piveted intermediate the intersecting means for norma y holdingthe rail section throwing said rail section tothe opposite side, a pawlto engage the lever, and connections for engaging and, releasing thepawl.

of a' short rail section pivoted intermediate the intersecting hold thelever in such shii ted position, and connections for setting orreleaslng said lever from 'afdistance y 8'. In a toy railway switch thecombination with fixed track sections, of a movable switch rail section,a hollow sleeper connected to the 4fixed rail sections, a spring withinthe parts in line with either of its track sections.4

tion with a pair of intersecting and conortions of; track sections, i Lmeans'for norma ly holding the rail section j a lever connected with thesaid arm for mov-` rail section pivoted intermediate of the track ipivoted intermediate the intersecting pory tion against the action ofthe holding means, y

ioo

ortions -of track sections,

to line with one track section, a lever for y 6. In a toy railwayswitch,'the combina tion with a pair of connected track sections,.

to line. with one track section,. a lever con-g, j nected with the railsection, means for op` shifting the said movable section, means to YSiapex: to iioimztiiy heid the pivotal mii See,M

tion inV iiiefwith zimi ot one track sect-imi, :L j device for operatingsaid izlovablo switei'i in i opposite direc' ions againgt the action ofslaid spring, :1114.1 meer@ for holding and releasing E the, operatingrte/vice.. f 9. in n toy miiway switch the eombiufttim. i with fixedtmek Sections, of a. movable Swi teh i mii. section, D heiioi'* sleeperconnected to the tixed .mii se ons, i sping Wit iu the Sleeper g toIiormaiy hold the pivot-:Li mii section in iine with :t mii of one trackSection, :L ifieeket mmelief to the sleeper, evei ii-voted. toii'fiei-et :mii connected with move-'bie Seotion, i

znezil'is'to engage over und retain Inova-bie switeu sz ,tion in openposition.

l0; In :L toy i'niiwny switch, the eombinw tion with fixed, tim-,ksections, of 'movable Switch mii sectiml, :1 ioliow Sieepei wir nestedto the, fixed mii Sections, :1. .Spring within the sleeper to immunity'izoii the pivi-ii omi mii section in line, with a of one track. section,it device, for oper. 11g smid .pivotal mils; in opposite direi-tionsagainst! Y. Y M 5522 Le aotimi of said Spring, a. pwi oi iioiiilfgz 1elevei' in such position, cords eoi'meote with'ever and pnwi foroperating the same, mild miitabie guides through which the Qods n'iziybe (zeig-imi to distant points.

H. in ar toy railway switch, the cen'ibimt tion with f1 paix. ofintersecting mid con .neetefl tiiii'k ations, ot ny kshort rfi-iipivoted i n teimeiiiate the ii'ltersecting portions of miek Sections andhaving its two ends bevti tl eied to engage the sides of the rails oftac.-

Seetioi'iss :t lever foi' opimtingthe pi's'tod short mii, i spying forholding the Sherti'iii iu one Rositiou to register with one, sation, undmeans for hoi ling it in another position to egistei' with the, othersection.

Signed :it Bridgeport in 'the county of Fati?- iieiii mul Stute oit(hmnectieut this tilidsiy of June D. 1907.

HRLES A. HOT-CHR. 5

